Is the drive up I-5 scenic in any way? Can you see the ocean?
Yes, in several places you can see the ocean right out your window between San Diego and San Clemente Once you pass San Clemente, you won't see it again on the way up to Anaheim.
Is the drive up I-5 scenic in any way? Can you see the ocean?
Just so I'm clear, is the traffic people are talking about IN San Diego and IN Anaheim/Orange County, or traveling between the two? If the latter, why are there so many people commuting between San Diego and LA on a Monday evening?
This is good to know as we're doing the opposite! driving from anaheim to san diego and trying to figure out by when we should be on the road.
We typically go the direction that you are going on a Sunday. On the weekend the traffic is not bad except around San Juan Capistrano. Every time we go, no matter what time of day we drive through, the traffic is always bad in that area.
Does the PCH offer any better scenery? I'm familiar with how breathtaking it is in northern CA but haven't been on it in SoCal.Take the 5 up, if traffic is bad after San Onofre, get off and take Pacific Coast Highway (the 1) up for a while. It will take about the same amount of time as sitting in traffic, but much more relaxing.
Take the 5 up, if traffic is bad after San Onofre, get off and take Pacific Coast Highway (the 1) up for a while. It will take about the same amount of time as sitting in traffic, but much more relaxing.
Does the PCH offer any better scenery? I'm familiar with how breathtaking it is in northern CA but haven't been on it in SoCal.
This would take you way out of the way and there is a lot of traffic on PCH.Does the PCH offer any better scenery? I'm familiar with how breathtaking it is in northern CA but haven't been on it in SoCal.
Sure if you are not in a hurry, Dana Point through Laguna Beach is a gorgeous drive. I would just make sure you are on the road early enough so when you cut over on the 133 you are not hitting terrible traffic on the 5. It once took my friend two hours to go from Mission Viejo to Disneyland (a drive that should take about 20 minutes). We were going to DL for fireworks only. I left at 4pm and hit pretty decent traffic (the same 20-minute drive took me an hour). She left at 5 and it took her 2 hours. The traffic can get really bad. Even if you’re not in a hurry, it’s just not fun to be crawling on the freeway.What about, from a scenery standpoint, hopping over to the 1/PCH at Capistrano/Dana Point, taking it to Laguna Beach, and then taking 133/Laguna Canyon Road back up to the 5? I understand it will add some length to the drive, but if the scenery is breathtaking, it might be worth it. What portion of the PCH is the most picturesque?
There are some scenic parts where you can see the ocean from Oceanside to San Clemente. If it is sunny, it will be beautiful.Is the drive up I-5 scenic in any way? Can you see the ocean?
Wait until 6:30. I have found that if I leave Disneyland at 6:30, I usually get to my car at 7:00pm. Then, I have an easy time driving home to San Diego. Anything earlier is a crap shoot.Jumping in here. I'm planning the commute from Anaheim to San Diego. Can I leave at 4pm and be ok or do I need to wait until 6:30? Want to do a 1/2 day Disneyland but don't want to get to my hotel too late.
It really doesn't offer better scenery. The main problem is that you'll be dealing with a lot of traffic there, too, and you won't be able to pay attention to anything else. If you aren't used to driving around here, it is very cutthroat.Does the PCH offer any better scenery? I'm familiar with how breathtaking it is in northern CA but haven't been on it in SoCal.
What about, from a scenery standpoint, hopping over to the 1/PCH at Capistrano/Dana Point, taking it to Laguna Beach, and then taking 133/Laguna Canyon Road back up to the 5? I understand it will add some length to the drive, but if the scenery is breathtaking, it might be worth it. What portion of the PCH is the most picturesque?
Are you going all the way to San Diego, or are you stopping at one of the towns before you are actually in the City. You are definitely going the better direction on a weekday. As I said above, we leave Disneyland at 3:00 or 3:30 and head for Carlsbad and we have never hit bad traffic. Now, I don't know if you are going the rest of the way into San Diego if you would hit bad traffic just outside the city, or if you would be going the opposite way of traffic the rest of the trip as well.
What about, from a scenery standpoint, hopping over to the 1/PCH at Capistrano/Dana Point, taking it to Laguna Beach, and then taking 133/Laguna Canyon Road back up to the 5? I understand it will add some length to the drive, but if the scenery is breathtaking, it might be worth it. What portion of the PCH is the most picturesque?